Boakye Agyarko’s dismissal is victory for Ghana – Excited VRA staff

Boakye Agyarko was sacked on August 6[/caption] The Senior Staff Association of the Volta River Authority (VRA) has expressed excitement over the dismissal of Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, describing it as a victory for Ghana. “We are very happy. It would be an utter lie to say otherwise. This is because; this is a great victory for the country Ghana as well as good for governance”, assistant general secretary of the association, Kwado Abeka, said on Onua FM’s morning show, Yen Nsem Pa. A statement from the Presidency, Monday, relieved Boakye Agyarko of his duties as energy minister and directed Lands and Natural resources minister, Peter Amewu to act in his stead. Even though the statement did not state any reason, it is widely speculated it is as a result of his involvement of the Novation and Re-negotiated AMERI deal: a deal sought to alter the original $510 million deal entered into by the government of Ghana under the erstwhile NDC government. It however turned out that the renegotiated deal as proposed by the energy ministry is worse than the original deal. In the ensuing controversy, reports emerged suggesting the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, was “misled” into giving an executive approval to the deal for which reason the deal is likely to be recalled from parliament. Consequently, government came under pressure to let heads roll at the energy ministry to which the energy minister fell victim. The VRA Senior Staff Association had earlier raised concerns about the renegotiated deal saying it was not in the interest of the country and called for an immediate halt of the deal. Read:VRA Senior Staff resist new Ameri deal because ‘it doesn’t make sense’ Mr Abeka revealed that, while in office, Boakye Agyarko, never gave them audience, even when they tried to. He said the minister’s entire relationship with the association was not good enough. “Ever since Boakye Agyarko was appointed, he didn’t relate with us well. “He has never met with us. Even when he was around, he refused to meet us. We tried to seek an audience with him on several occasions but all proved futile.” Meanwhile, one of the leading campaigners against the deal, Institute for Energy Security (IES) is calling on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to also consider relieving the deputy energy ministers of their duties. Read: New Ameri deal: Sack deputy Energy Ministers too – IES to Akufo-Addo  By Nana Owusuaa Osei-Kuffour | 3news.com|Ghana]]>